The present disclosure relates to fluid filters, and in particular to oil filters for use in a vehicle. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to heat exchangers for use in cooling oil in an oil filter.
Fluid filters are used onboard vehicles and in other apparatus containing fluid transport systems to remove unwanted solids or other contaminants from the fluid. Oil filters and fuel filters are provided to clean oil and fuel used in vehicle engines.
A fluid filter apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure includes a filter housing formed to include a filter chamber containing a filter media. The apparatus also includes a cooling element located in the filter chamber to surround the filter media. Unfiltered fluid admitted into the filter chamber is exposed to cooling temperatures associated with the cooling element before the unfiltered fluid passes through the filter media. A relatively low-temperature coolant flows through the cooling element to generate the cooling temperature. Coolant acts to reduce the temperature and engine wear to prolong the life of the engine and oil fluid.
The cooling element is used to cool the unfiltered fluid flowing in the filter chamber toward the filter media to precipitate particulate matter or other contaminants entrained in the unfiltered fluid. Any such matter (e.g., plaque, scale, or rust) that forms on the cooling element and xe2x80x9cbreaks offxe2x80x9d will be filtered in the filter media and will not be discharged from the filter housing.
In illustrative embodiments, the filter housing includes a mounting base portion to be mounted on, for example, a vehicle engine and a removable cover portion coupled to the base portion. The cooling element is arranged in the filter chamber to define a smaller chamber containing the filter media and having an opening. Upon removal of the cover portion from the base portion, a technician can move a filter module containing the filter media into and out of the smaller chamber defined by the coolant tube to facilitate replacement of the filter module without relocation of the cooling element in the filter chamber.
In one illustrative embodiment, the cooling element includes a helix-shaped coolant tube positioned to lie in the filter chamber to surround the filter media. In another illustrative embodiment, the cooling element includes a serpentine-shaped coolant tube positioned to lie in the filter chamber to surround the filter media. In each embodiment, unfiltered fluid flowing into the filter media is cooled by exposure to cooling temperatures associated with a cooling element immersed in unfiltered fluid flowing in the filter chamber toward the filter media.
Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.